Why open source matters

I'm a big advocate for open source operating systems and software. For me, it's more than the fact that it doesn't cost any money. Compared to the alternatives, open source operating systems and software ensure that I have control over what I buy, who I buy from, and when to buy. In this article, I'm going to explore the issues that exist with the alternatives, with embedded links that will take you to other sources so that you can expand on each topic.

The problem with Apple

Apple is a computer company that has been around for as long as I've been a computer nerd. I had a secret crush on the Apple IIc, but with a price tag of around $1,300 for just the computer and disk drive, was a bit too expensive for my 13 year old self, and so I opted for the equally functional, albeit less aesthetically pleasing, Commodore 64 system that cost less than half and had better sound capabilities. Since then, Apple's focus has been building up a brand image to convince people to pay more for their product.

Setting aside technical and aesthetic merits, the problem with Apple is that once you've made the commitment to use Apple products, you give up more than your money. Any apps and software you buy and invest time into learning how to use will only run on the Apple platform, locking you out of the option of choosing a different platform in the future unless you are willing to go through the time and expense of replacing all of your programs and apps. Furthermore, you place yourself on Apple's treadmill of their upgrade cycle. Apple makes its money by selling its expensive products. If they want, they can disable features of a current product or cripple it with an "Update" to encourage you to upgrade to the next thing, which will be of their choosing. What's good for you as a consumer is irrelevant.

All of this wouldn't be so bad if Apple kept up on the leading edge, but given that their customers are locked in, they eventually become complacent knowing full well that their customers aren't likely to go to another platform, even when it's significantly better.

While companies like Microsoft have been made out to be the "Bad guys" and Apple has been made out to be the "Hero" who will save us all, in actual fact Apple has done things that have made the Microsoft's transgressions seem petty in comparison. They've gotten away with it because they don't dominate the market. They do conspire to dominate their own market, end-to-end, taking away consumer choice, and in the markets where they are starting to dominate, we're starting to see some legal action being taken against them. 

To summarize, once you've bought into Apple, you're in their walled garden, you have turned over your decision-making process on what to buy and when to buy it to them, which will leave them wealthier and you with fewer options. I don't believe any company should be allowed that level of control.

Microsoft

Some of the issues with Apple apply to Microsoft, though they're not nearly as bad. This is because they're not necessarily interested in pushing you to buy new hardware. They built their fortune on getting their operating system onto every PC sold (except for Mac's), and they did this by making their operating system license reasonably priced to the vendors, and making everything open, allowing anyone to develop hardware to work for their operating system. In this way, they're less evil than Apple in that you get to decide when it's time to update your hardware. 

One of the benefits of running with Microsoft products is that corporations and small businesses use Microsoft, and corporations are usually run by frugal-minded people if the business is to remain successful. Sticking with the same thing as corporations is a good strategy; as we've seen, demand from the corporate world will dictate what Microsoft will do.

The times are changing, and so is Microsoft. These days, they're more interested in getting their customers onto a subscription-based service for their OS and software. This type of service takes away your ability to decide what to buy and when; what used to be an investment suddenly becomes an ongoing expense. To use the popular car analogy, this would take you from the opportunity of "Owning" a car to "Leasing" a car, even though Microsoft might argue that you don't own the Windows on your PC, you just have a license to "Use" it. Once again, it's taking away options from the consumer for the greater profit of the company.

Android

Android, the OS that's based on open source code, would seem to be the thing that will save us. Like Windows, it's hardware-agnostic, but unlike Windows, it's based on the Apache 2.0 open source license. This means that anyone can develop for that operating system and keep it up to date, and no one company can pull the plug on it to force you to upgrade.

Unfortunately, many Android tablets come pre-loaded with utilities and applications that are not open source. Some manufacturers embed these applications in the OS, so that you can not get rid of them. Some of these apps are subscription-based services, so you get "Nagged" to pay for this subscription from time to time. Generally, this is more of an issue in lower priced tablets, as manufacturers offset the smaller profit margin with commissions made from subscribers to those services.

This isn't so bad, as there's nothing to obligate you to those subscription services, and some of them might actually be worthwhile. There are also "Unofficial" methods to remove this sort of thing.

Linux

Linux based operating systems are the most important pieces of software for your financial and computing freedom. There are plenty of distributions to choose from. 

Imagine this: You decide which operating system to install based on your needs. You install that on a computer you own, and then you decide which applications to install. Some, like Ubuntu, come with applications that most people would use, like a word processor, spreadsheet, and a web browser like Firefox or Chrome. After that, you get to decide what applications to install, and what to pay for. It's not so much about getting things like the operating system for free, it has more to do with providing you with complete control over your computing experience. 

Those interested in video games can download and install Steam, where they can buy the games they like. A person who needs to do professional video editing can buy Lightworks for Linux. There are even high quality Enterprise distributions that cost money, though the free offerings like Ubuntu and Mint are very well polished and of excellent quality.

Open source provides us all with the ability to determine what matters to each of us, and that is why open source matters. If everything works and you're not ready to upgrade, why should you? Many people frustrated with the changes in Microsoft Word have found stability in the tried-and-true LibreOffice Writer. On the other hand, if you want to live on the bleeding edge of technology, why should you wait for a corporation to decide when you get to play with it? Most of the latest developments today in computer technology are happening in the open source world. 

Open source matters to me, and that's why I continue to support it and encourage others to use it. While I don't begrudge Apple, Microsoft, and the tablet makers for wanting to earn a profit, I am thankful for the freedom and choice that open source offers. If you're ready for something new, why not give it a try?

Stop staying poor

I recently read an article explaining why poor people stay poor, and was advised by this article that saving money costs money. I then continued to read about how this person lost their truck over a few hundred dollars. When I read further to find out that this person was running between two part time jobs, neither of which paid a hundred bucks a day, I found myself wondering, why in the world did this person think she could afford a truck in the first place?

A motor vehicle is a huge expense for anyone; the cost of the vehicle is just the tip of the iceberg. Add in the cost of gas, insurance, and maintenance, and it soon becomes apparent that owning a vehicle is an expensive luxury. Funny thing is, something like an old worn-out pickup truck might cost more month over month than would a new small car along the lines of a Mitsubishi Mirage. But then this line of logic would play into the whole notion of the cost of saving money, which misses the entire point. The real issue is, what was this person doing with a truck in the first place?

It's often the case that a person would feel insulted that I might suggest they should not own a vehicle; they see vehicle ownership as some sort of right. What has really happened is they've bought into the lifestyle marketing campaigns of the automobile industry that tell us we need to own a car or a truck. In fact, it's quite often the case that we're constantly chasing after different lifestyle dreams that are advertised to us, our lives become a disjointed mess, then suddenly, we believe we need to be chasing after two part time jobs in order to attain our dreams. In reality, the dreams aren't really ours, things are barely holding together and, unsurprisingly, a couple of unforeseen expenses undoes the whole "Rube Goldberg" machine.

What I suggest is that people take a moment to tune out the advertisers and take a holistic look at their life. I recommend starting with understanding the actual cost of owning a car. Some studies put just the cost of owning an average car at nearly $10,000 per year of after-tax dollars. If you believe you need to work at two part time jobs to own a car, the first thing to consider is whether one of those jobs will net you $10,000 after tax in a given year, the second is if owning the car is worth the hassles of that second part time job. To put this into perspective, if you're earning $11/hour, you'll need to put in 22 hours a week EVERY week of the year JUST TO OWN AND OPERATE a car. Even if you got the car for free with a full tank of gas, sooner or later these expenses will need to be paid if you actually expect to continue to drive. I ask you; is the second part time job really worth it just to have the headache of car ownership?

Perhaps it's better to abandon that second part time job, sell the car, and use the extra cash to invest in yourself. Growing numbers of people are living car-free, but it takes a big-picture view of your life. For example, you may need to relocate to a different city or find a different job. If you're in a relationship, it may mean making some short-term compromises. If there are children in the picture, there's all the more reason for you to start taking a holistic approach to life. There is no single easy solution, this is why it's critical for each of us to take a holistic approach to our own unique lifestyles.

I'm not suggesting anyone give up on the dream of owning a car forever; what I'm suggesting is that it will impede progress if one is struggling financially right now. Giving up on the car may allow one to focus on the better of the two part-time jobs, and perhaps that will allow you to develop a career out of it. Or maybe the time gained from leaving the less desirable part time job could be put towards self-improvement. It's all baby steps towards building a life that works. At the end of the day, recognize the car as a tool rather than an entitlement and necessary expense.

It really doesn't cost money to save money. What it takes is recognizing that saving money isn't be be-all and end-all in financial stability, and that taking a holistic approach to life is the solution. The money not spent on keeping that truck means a second part time job may not be necessary, which could mean time better spent at building a lifestyle that suits you and is one you can truly call your own.

Finally, if you find this blog post offensive, then you are looking to find offense in that which is not intended to be offensive, but perhaps feeling offended is the first step to your financial recovery and putting yourself in a position where you no longer consider yourself poor. It really is your life, nobody is in control but you. Make it the best life for you that you can.

The low cost of gas and our liberal government

When the price of gas was creeping up ever higher earlier this year, our government enjoyed an increase in tax revenue, as the tax they receive is based on a percentage of the overall price of the fuel. They could have provided us with relief by lowering those taxes and keeping their tax revenue stable, but they didn't; instead, they advised us to buy more fuel efficient cars, so I replaced my not-so-fuel-efficient Pontiac Grand Am GT with a fun and frugal brand new Nissan Micra SV. It's a brilliant little commuter, and an excellent choice for the frugal minded who still like to have some fun when driving. It's not just me; lately, I've been seeing gas sipping cars growing exponentially on our roads and highways: Honda Fit's, Nissan Versa's, Mitsubishi Mirage's, Hyundai Accent's, Ford Fiesta's, Chevrolet Spark's, in addition to hybrid and electric cars have exploded in numbers.

We listened to our government, and did what we were told. We're using much less gas and generating negligible amounts of pollution. As a result, the overall demand for petroleum has declined. When it came to electricity, rates went up when our demand dropped, but that's because this utility is a province-controlled monopoly. Not so with gas, and now we have gas prices that have not been seen in nearly 10 years. Hooray for us, our frugal choices should mean that we now have extra money to do things like take care of household debt, contribute to our retirement, or go out and have more fun by redistributing those savings back into the economy through theatre, restaurants, and other leisure oriented businesses. We Canadians should be able to reap the rewards of our collective frugality.

Not so fast! Our provincial leader, Kathleen Wynne, has announced that, since tax revenue has dropped due to low gas prices, her liberal party is exploring options to increase taxes on gasoline.

Now, one would think that government would have become more efficient over the past 10 years, but they have not. They have only become even more bloated and inefficient. This means that you and I will need to be ever-increasingly frugal in our choices just so government can continue wasting a lot of the money it gets. Waste in the form of gas plant cancellations. Waste in the form of two separate but very similar school boards. Waste in so many other ways, it would take several blog posts to go over them all. Someone voted them in, and it certainly wasn't me.

The provincial government of Ontario does not have our best interest in mind, so enjoy the low gas prices while you can. Just don't expect our government to make it easy to get ahead in life, unless you have a government job.

Happy holidays!

I admit, the reboot has been rather slow. Life's been busy. The good news is, I have a lot of things to write about, so 2015 will be a great year for Frugal Paul!

This is the time of year when a lot of us get into financial trouble buying presents for all the people we care about. That's why it's so critical to set a budget and stick to it. As difficult as that may seem, I recommend keeping the following in mind to help you stay on budget:

• Expensive gifts for people other than immediate family can make the recipient feel uncomfortable, which is probably not what you would want. Instead, purchase a bulk pack of inexpensive but nice quality gifts for those people. Holiday crackers are always a safe festive bet. Also consider discount books from places like Chapters, where there's plenty of good reads that cost less than $10. Multi-packs of items like decks of playing  cards can also make fun individual gifts.
• Go for quality, not quantity. Get to know the person you're shopping for. Are they a fan of a particular show? Sites like amazon.ca have lots of popular television show-related items in a wide range of prices. Remember, it means more to those you care about to show them how tuned in to them you are, rather than how much money you want to spend on them.
• If you're creative and have the time, why not make something for those you care about? I enjoy taking photographs and videos through the year of various family events, and some years I've brought it all together to create a DVD of memories. It's a gift paid for by my time and efforts throughout the year.
• Take your time when shopping. If you can't find just the right gift, then don't buy anything until you do. Spend more time getting to know the person you're buying for; talk to their friends and others who know them; you might find out something about them you never knew, and the perfect gift might come to mind. Buying a gift just for the sakes of buying a gift can often be a waste of money.
• Perhaps the person you're buying for is really nostalgic for a certain period. Nothing wrong with a used relic from that era that's still in great condition to bring a smile to their face!
• Sometimes there's a less expensive option; for example, the person may have expressed interest in an iPad, but they might be just as pleased with a low-priced Android tablet. Play it safe and get a gift receipt just in case, so if they really have their heart set on the more expensive option, at least you've contributed financially to their goal, creating a win-win situation.
• Thinking of getting someone a cell phone? Avoid the contracts at all costs, unless the recipient has explicitly expressed interest in this. Rather, find out who the recipient likes as a carrier, then get them an unlocked or prepaid phone for that carrier, and give the gift with no strings attached.

Keeping on budget is key to long-term happiness beyond the holidays, and giving gifts that really show you care rather than showing how much money you're willing to spend will make the holiday season a delight for everyone. I hope your holiday season is full of love and happiness, and if you can't have that, I hope it's at least free of regret and disappointment.

Frugal Paul reboot

It's been over a year since my last blog post here at Frugal Paul, as I explored other interests. However, as of late, I keep seeing stories come up in the media that I find demonstrate an incredible sense of entitlement and a complete lack of understanding the importance of keeping financial business in order. I am reminded of a much younger me.

I wasn't always frugal, and there was a time when I was terrible at managing my money. I didn't have much direction in life; I was working as a construction labourer here and there through the week, and worked as an overnight security guard at a local factory on the weekends. The factory wasn't in production during this time, but because there were huge boilers, they employed boiler room engineers to be in the boiler room around the clock. Usually after 3:00am, Gerry the boiler room engineer had completed his checks and everything was quiet in that sleepy town, so we'd pass the night having conversations about life. Gerry was around my father's age, but I could talk to him as a friend. I was becoming frustrated with always being broke and never seemed to make enough money. I brought this up to Gerry, about how unfair life was and explaining to him what I thought the problems were, when he told me I was living beyond my means.

At first, I was infuriated! I lived in the cheapest rent slum one-room apartment, I didn't own a car, I certainly wasn't buying nor eating the best foods, and it had been nearly two years since I had bought any new clothes. I was using an old Amiga 500 that didn't even have a hard drive and used a 2400 baud modem. I watched TV on a small black and white set. Then Gerry pointed out that I smoked, and that smoking was a rich person's habit that I couldn't afford. I couldn't believe what I was hearing; I should give up the one thing that brought me pleasure in life?

Finally, Gerry put it to me like this: Living beyond my means meant that I was spending more than I was earning. One way I could help this situation was to give up smoking. Another thing I could do was to increase my income. If I believed I had done everything possible to reduce my expenses, then I had to look for ways to increase my income.

I was already working 7 days a week, and when I wasn't working I was looking for work. I was good with computers, but I couldn't seem to get a good job. That's when Gerry told me that I need to prove to potential employers that I knew what I claimed. Gerry related to me his own story of being poor, finding a way with being frugal to become educated as a boiler room engineer and how he'd study while working at a low paying menial job, and how he succeeded in becoming who he wanted to be. Up until then, I had no idea that people lied on their resumes. It wasn't enough that I could tell an employer I could write computer programs, I had to have a diploma or certification of sorts from an accredited institution to back up my words to get a job as a computer programmer. Up until then, I thought of school as a place people went to learn new things, but using school to demonstrate skill and knowledge was a new concept.

That marked a big turning point in my life. That's when I realized I had to invest in myself and live a frugal lifestyle in order to live better and happier. I calculated the cost of going to college for 3 years and estimated the amount of student loan money I would need, then I compared what I was then earning to what the lowest paid computer programmer would be paid. It was a significant difference; I would easily double my annual earnings. If I continued with a frugal lifestyle, I would have the student loan paid off in just over a year. It was both amazing and empowering, and it really did work out.

I'm going to reboot this blog because it's clear to me that there are too many people who are just like I was, and I want to help them just as Gerry helped me all those years ago.

The folding bicycle experiment

When I discovered this folding bicycle on Costco's web site, my imagination exploded with all the benefits it could deliver. Folding bikes can be taken on rush hour GO trains, so I could ride this bike from Union station to my job instead of the subway; after seven weeks, the bike would pay for itself. I work in Toronto, the bike theft capital of the world, and being able to bring a folded bike to my job would provide great peace of mind. The exercise I'd get before and after work would be beneficial to my health. This folding bike could easily be stowed in the trunk of my car, allowing me to park in low-cost or free parking areas, using the bike to complete journeys into areas of expensive parking. It suddenly occurred to me that a folding bicycle was exactly what I needed to make my life better.

I ordered the bike on a Tuesday; it arrived on my doorstep on the following Friday. My first reaction when lifting this bike out of its cardboard box was that it was heavy. I'm talking bend-at-the-knees-when-lifting kind of heavy. Costco isn't exaggerating when they say this bike weighs over 40 pounds; with the exception of the wheels and a couple of clips, this bike is made from chromed and painted heavy steel. Even the fenders and chain guard are made of tin.

When unfolded, the dimensions between the seat, pedals, and handlebars of this bike are that of a full sized adult cruiser bicycle. At 6'4” and 220 lbs., it's important for me to have a bike that's big and strong enough, and with the seat post fully extended, this bike just barely fits. It's reasonably easy to find a comfortable riding position, as the seat incorporates chromed springs and generous padding and the handle bars have an ergonomic bend. In fact, given the price of $139, this bike comes remarkably well-equipped; besides the comfort grade seat, it also comes with a full reflector package, sturdy carrier, full fenders, full chain guard, a kickstand, and even a bell. These are usually options on comparably priced and even more expensive traditional bikes that, combined, can easily cost half of the price of this bike.

In spite of its heaviness, this bike is remarkably easy and comfortable to ride. There are six gears, and they're all geared low to provide sufficient options for just about any kind of hill, making the bike weight a non-issue while riding. The shifting is indexed, and my bike needed a minor adjustment after arriving to ensure the chain meshed with the appropriate cogs, which I did myself without the use of any tools as the dérailleur is a good Shimano. The unfortunate side effect of the gearing is that this bike doesn't go very fast. This bike would have been better with a significantly larger chain ring, as first gear is ridiculously low for the 20” wheel it's driving. As for the brakes, the front brake is a cheap side pull caliper, and the rear brake is a band brake. I had never used a band brake on a bike before, but my first impression was that it seemed adequate.

The bike rides solid enough, but there is some frame flex. I don't think this has to do with the hinge, but rather due to the lack of a top tube in the frame. Overall, the flex isn't any worse than what one might find in a typical steel frame women's cruiser. The 20 inch alloy wheels appear to have come off a kid's bike, which should come as no surprise given that Mongoose does a lot of business making bikes for kids. The tires are cheap, and the soft rubber is easily punctured, but other than that they are strong enough for my weight. It occurs to me that many of the components appear to have come from kids bikes. My guess is that Mongoose incorporated components from their mass produced kids bikes to keep the price low.

Time to unfold and set up takes me around 45 seconds. Time to fold the bike back down takes me around 30 seconds. When folded, there's nothing to keep the bike together. The optimal place to hold the bike while carrying it is just above the pedal crank on the seat post, but even still the handle bars want to flop out occasionally. I recommend a bungee strap to keep it together.

I tried this bike out for two weeks for my commute. I put it in the trunk of my car and drove to the train station, where I took the train every day to Union Station then rode the bike to my job, where I folded it up and stowed it at work. I then rode that bike back to Union station, rode the train back to my home city, put it in the trunk of my car, and drove home. When riding, I felt as though I was riding an adult-sized kids bike. I was certainly quicker than walkers, but people jogging were able to keep pace with me unless I cranked the pedals fast. I quickly ran out of gears even on slight inclines. When I did this to get some good speed out of the bike, I found the brakes faded awfully quickly, to the point of being scary. Towards the middle of the second week, I noticed a new pain developing in my back; it became clear to me that lugging over 40 pounds of bike along with my backpack was taking its toll. A folding bike this heavy wasn't meant to be carried any distance.

Once the “Gee Whiz” factor wore off, I realized that a cheap $99 department store mountain bike offered a better experience than this folding bike. Such a bike could be locked up at a train station and be largely ignored by bike thieves, and I could carry the tools necessary to perform regular basic maintenance in a small bag.

There doesn't appear to be any kind of carrying case for this bicycle offered by anyone anywhere, so this offers no real advantage over a full size bike for the airline traveller. For the compact car traveller on a budget, it might be suitable; it fits in my trunk comfortably with room to spare. Not quite enough for a second identical folding bike (unless I folded down the back seat), but certainly enough for anything I'd need for a week away from home.This bike is really meant for those condominium dwelling recreational cyclists who would like to bring a bicycle with them on their annual camping trip to putter around on the groomed camp ground trails. For a minimal investment, you have something that you can stow away in a closet, ready for the one or two times a year you'd want it. No need to worry about roof racks or carriers. 

No doubt about it; this is as cheap as it gets when it comes to folding bikes, but it's pretty clear why this bike is as cheap as it is. My advice to Mongoose is this: Put a larger chain ring on this bike to give it full sized bike gearing, give it decent brakes to accommodate  and drop the weight by 10 pounds by way of aluminium or plastic components. I can tell by this bike that you build decent quality products, but the kiddie bike gearing and fading brakes were huge disappointments.  As for me, I'll be sticking to full sized bikes from now on.

Bicycle: The Perfect Frugal Machine

Bicycles are, as far as I'm concerned, the most perfect mode of transportation ever invented. They offer, quite literally, a free ride. Consider that even walking has a cost associated with it, and then consider that cycling is up to five times more efficient than walking. Many often regard bicycles as toys for children and weekend warriors, but I discovered its utility as a young adult. Not quite ready to take on the financial responsibility of a car, I spent three month's worth of bus passes on a nice bike that became a reliable principle mode of transportation for a good three years, as I said goodbye to long bus stop waits, transfers, and general slowness from multiple stops and indirect routes. The money saved went towards my first car.

Today, my car has become a necessity. I don't apologize for owning a car, but my daily drive from Oshawa to Toronto has become so congested, I actually get home half an hour earlier if I take the GO train and TTC subway. It's not exactly cheap; using my Presto card, I pay $8.39 on each GO train trip, and $2.65 on each subway trip. That's $22.08 per day, or $88.32 per week for my typical 4 day work week. By contrast, I would pay $40 a week in gas and $32 a week in parking, totalling $72 if I took the car. Of course there's insurance and maintenance, but these are the costs of owning a car which I would pay regardless of whether or not I took public transit. I used to prefer to drive in because of the cost advantage, but now the traffic has become too much. I'm paying a $16 premium because I enjoy riding the train (I've always loved trains), I enjoy not dealing with the stress of crawling along the Don Valley Parkinglot...er, I mean Parkway, and I enjoy getting home a little sooner.

Last year, I brought my road bike to Union Station and kept it locked up there so that I could ride it to my job. At this time, my schedule required me to be in Toronto 5 days a week, so the savings quickly added up; $26.50 per week, $114.83 per month. More than the savings, I also benefited from the well-being that came from the nice bit of exercise before and after work.

This solution was not without its problems. Daily riding requires regular maintenance, but I could not take my bike on the train during peak periods. This meant that, if I did not catch a train home prior to 3:30pm, I had to wait until after 6:30pm. There was always the threat of theft or vandalism. Other than that, it was a fine solution for getting through downtown Toronto.

My next experiment was with the Bixi bike bicycle sharing system. In short, I'd pay $5 for 30 minutes of use. An annual subscription is a much better deal at $97 (plus tax), but I wanted to test the system out before committing. I soon discovered some unfortunate flaws. First, the bikes have three speeds, which are slow, slower, and even slower; presumably to accommodate for the weight of this heavy duty bike. One day, I arrived to find no bixi bikes available at my station, forcing me to walk to another station further away to get a bike. Another time, I arrived at my destination station with no place to put the bike, because all the spots were full. Once again, I had to go to a more distant stop. Then there's the liability; if something happens to the bike while I'm using it, I could be on the hook for up to $1,000. On the plus side, the bikes were easy to adjust and very comfortable to ride, and represent a great alternative for someone who doesn't get much physical activity in their daily routine who only need it to make short trips and don't want to bother with bike ownership. As for me, I wanted to explore other options.

After further contemplation, I considered a basic cruiser. A single speed bicycle with a coaster brake. Without gears or cables, I reasoned that such a bike wouldn't require much in the way of maintenance, and therefore I could leave it locked up at Union Station for extended periods of time. I started by checking Craigslist and Kijiji, only to find a lot of overpriced crap and tons of child bikes. I browsed various web sites, and decided to see what Costco had to offer. That's when I stumbled upon what might be the perfect bike for me: A folding bicycle.

A folding bicycle seems to be the perfect solution. I can take it with me on the train during rush hour, and bring it with me to my job, because it folds up and becomes small. That takes care of bringing it home for maintenance during rush hour whenever I need to, as well as eliminating the threat of theft and vandalism. At $139.99 plus tax ($158.99, shipping included), I would need to ride this bike in lieu of 60 subway rides, or 30 work days, or 7.5 weeks for this bike to pay for itself. It has full fenders, so I should be able to ride it when it rains. Costco has an excellent return policy, so if it turns out to be complete crap, I can return it for a full refund. I ordered it on Tuesday, and it arrived today. I can't wait to try this experiment out!